A CHAIRSIDE RADIO

By ESTHER NUNLEY

Original Publish Date: December 12, 2022

In our permanent legal display at the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, there is a chairside radio that dates back to 1938. It was manufactured and sold by Zenith Radio Corporation—the pioneer creator of radios and televisions.

The Zenith Radio Corporation was a forerunner of radio and television production earning the recognition of having many “firsts” with their innovative technology. They had several manufacturing sites in Chicago and employed thousands of people. Besides producing the first short wave radio, they also produced the first portable radio in 1924. Among many other firsts is the invention and production of the first television wireless remote control in 1955.

The shape and style of this model radio is very interesting but not extraordinarily rare for the time which is labeled the era of Art Deco. The case is a half round shape with a cathedral style tuning face surrounded by wooden knobs designed to help select what you want to listen to. It is a model 6S249 containing six power tubes that provide either a regular radio broadcast, a short-wave radio frequency for a far-off broadcast or the local police frequency. Rounded molding along the edges and on the rounded side of the wooden case add a nice finish to its geometric shape. This piece is made to be placed with its flat side against the sofa or arm chair with its cathedral face facing upward. In our exhibit we have it set on a table.

The radio was central to the home until television became readily available to the public. The 1930s and 1940s was the time of the big band era which brought swing music into the home. People could tune in to listen to Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, and Glenn Miller. As time evolved Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan became popular. War songs also became popular and during World War II people stayed close to their radio to keep up to date on the news. Comedy shows like “Abbott and Costello” became one of America’s favorites among many other shows that aired for family entertainment.

The history of Zenith Radio Corporation is lengthy and very interesting. It begins with a garage type structure described as a “shack” located on the property of the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, Ill., and two men, Ralph Mathews and Karl Hassel. The two men had met while serving the U. S. Navy. Both were ham radio operators with a desire to further develop the skills and knowledge they had in this field. In 1918, they began an endeavor to form their own radio broadcasting company. In 1919, they founded the Chicago Radio Laboratory with their headquarters in the apartment of Mathews and their testing station in the building referred to as a “shack.” They were operating their own ham radio broadcasting station with call sign “9ZN” along with using the trademark Z-Nith on the radios they custom made when they met Eugene F. McDonald, Jr. in 1921.

McDonald was a Lieutenant-Commander in Navy Intelligence during WWI and was now a self-made wealthy car salesman looking for a radio for his car. He had heard that Hassel and Mathews could make him one. McDonald ended up joining the team as the main investor for their company and he is credited for all the success that followed.

McDonald was tagged with the nickname “Commander” because of his direct personality as he moved the company forward in swift progression using his firm hand and finances. McDonald changed the Z-Nith trademark name to Zenith with a lightning bolt trademark added. He also changed the company name to the Zenith Radio Corporation. With his leadership the company grew quickly.

He led the company through all of the new technological advances in the radio and television industry. Sadly, McDonald died of cancer in 1958 on the brink of proposing subscription television. Not long after his death came the death of Gilbert Gustafson—the long-time product development engineer.

The change in technology and the increased competition in the market took its toll on the company. In an effort to include computer technology, the company changed its name to the Zenith Electronics Corporation in 1984. Competition was tough and by 1999 the company filed bankruptcy. Korea’s LG Electronics bought what was left of the huge conglomerate and made it a division of LG. The main offices are now located in Lincolnshire, Ill.